Sara, tell us a little bit of yourself and how you got into photography?I started my studies at the National Academy of Dance in Rome to become a professional dancer until I realized that rigid rules and smelly dance halls were not for me.

After many years of strictness I needed to feel free again. I started studying Art and Photography and found myself on the streets with my camera. Five years ago I moved to London where I got in touch with street photography.

You shoot mainly in color, digital and film. What is your opinion on film vs digital?I use my digital camera a lot for the obvious reason we all know, but I also like to shoot on film. I always carry with me a disposable camera or a compact Yashica. I dedicate a different energy and emphasis to a picture that I take with film because I know it’s precious.

Film is a material with substance, even if the picture is not “perfect, it has something to tell you, to evoke you. With digital we need to be more careful to don’t over-produce soulless images.

You have a very strong body of work from your trip to India last year. Tell us a little bit about it. Travelling is necessary for me. My trip to India was the first outside Europe where I travelled alone. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do that, despite my initial fears. I have never felt so much joy and satisfaction. One of the best and most important decisions I ever made in my life.

Did you feel a special inspiration while shooting in India?Street photography is a challenge we do with ourself, there is no communication with the subject, in some way it reflects perfectly our individualistic society and our culture. India opened my eyes to a different way to photograph.

It gave me the opportunity to talk a lot with people. I opened my heart and mind, my curiosity and my need to communicate increased. I enjoyed the human side of shooting in India.

Is there a photographer or type of photography that influenced your work or inspired you?One of the first books I bought years ago were „William Eggleston’s Guide“, „The Last resort“ of Martin Parr and Photie Man of Tom Wood. I think they were my first inspirations. I also like to look at film photographs from the 70’ and the 90’ and love the current projects of Alessandra Sanguinetti, Caroline Drake and Alec Soth.

What would be the best compliment you can get from the viewers of your pictures?I like to see the body language of the viewer when they see my pictures. This can be a smile, a frown or a whiff - these are all good signs. It means that I am communicating something. Pure reactions from the inside are much more honest than words.

What are your next plans?I’ m organizing a trip to South America where I would like to do something similar I’ve done in India. I also would like to continue a project I started about Italy. My country is in ruins and we are not doing anything to change things. We are just waiting for something to happen, I would like to document this immobility.

What is your favorite picture of your India Portfolio and why? Can you write a little bit about the story behind that shot?My favorite photo is the one where a man cleans the path. It was taken in Varanasi, which is the holiest city in India. Day by day Hindus follow their rituals along the steps or in the Ganges, where they also cremate bodies of their deceased loved ones.

When I took that shot, it was early in the morning, foggy and the atmosphere was very mystic. The man was sweeping the dust which might have been the ashes of the deaths. I could strongly breathe death, religion and devotion. I got very emotional while watching the man. This image will always remember me of the essence of India.